Road Killer 'Panspring'... "Anxious Because You Never Know When It Will Fly"

Cargo Truck Leaf Spring Accidents Continue
Turning into Deadly Weapons if Detached During Operation
Government Requests Stronger Crackdown from Local Governments and Police
Cargo Truck Drivers "Unilateral Crackdown Threatens Our Livelihood"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporters Seungyoon Song and Intern Sungwon Kim] Drivers' anxiety is growing as accidents involving cargo truck pansprings (shock absorbers), known as 'killers on the road,' continue to occur. A panspring is a part attached to the underside of a vehicle to absorb shocks. It is a thin, long steel plate attached to the finished vehicle or installed separately as needed.

However, recently, pansprings are often used not for shock absorption but attached vertically to the edges of cargo truck beds to secure cargo. This supports the loaded cargo and allows more cargo to be carried. But to attach pansprings for this purpose, they must be 'fixed type' to receive tuning approval from the Korea Transportation Safety Authority. Since fixed types are inconvenient when loading or unloading cargo, many truck owners make and attach detachable pansprings. Among cargo truck owners, such illegal panspring tuning has reportedly become a common practice.

The biggest problem arises when detachable pansprings fall off during driving and lie on the road. If other vehicles fail to notice and run over them, the panspring can bounce and fly off with high risk. The bounced panspring can become a weapon to other vehicles. It is also difficult to identify which truck lost the panspring and when, so even if an accident occurs, the driver must bear the damage.

Recently, such panspring accidents have been occurring one after another. On the 8th of last month in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, a report was filed with the police about a panspring piercing the windshield of a vehicle traveling on a national road. In August, there was also an accident on the Gyeongbu Expressway where a panspring flew into the windshield, injuring the driver. At that time, the vehicle's front windshield was torn vertically. In January 2018, on the Jungbu Expressway, a groom-to-be was suddenly hit by a flying panspring and died. As various accident cases have become known, many drivers are anxious every time they take the wheel.

Photo of a pantspring posted on an online community. Photo by Online Community Capture

According to data submitted by Korea Expressway Corporation to Song Seokjun, a member of the National Assembly Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee from the People Power Party, 1,266,480 vehicle debris items, including pansprings, were collected over the past five years. There were 217 accidents caused by these, of which 5 were confirmed to be caused by pansprings.

In response, the government has also taken measures. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has requested the police and local governments to strengthen crackdowns and asked related agencies such as vehicle inspection centers to cooperate in eradicating illegal tuning. The National Police Agency plans to conduct intensive crackdowns on illegal modifications under the supervision of traffic crime investigation teams of each provincial police agency from this month until the 31st of next month.

On the other hand, among cargo truck drivers, there are voices that the government is unilaterally strengthening crackdowns and shifting responsibility only to cargo workers. They argue that survival rights of cargo workers are threatened as crackdowns are intensified before any realistic measures or discussions are made. A representative of the Cargo Solidarity of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions Public Transport Workers' Union said, "We fully understand the purpose and intention of the crackdown, but many cargo truck drivers are unable to work because crackdowns are being strengthened without sufficient communication with the field," adding, "Our demand is to have a grace period of about six months to establish effective measures that can guarantee safety."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.